March 2019 Broad Core Algorithm Update Launched By Google

14/03/2019

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Last updated on March 14, 2019 at 05:16 pm

Over the past few weeks, numerous SEOs have speculated that Google might have launched unannounced algorithm updates, especially during the early part of March. While ranking fluctuations were present, it wasn’t until Google’s latest announcement that confirms that there indeed was a major algorithm update.

As announced on Google Search Liaison’s Twitter account, a board core algorithm update was launched on March 12, 2019, which was around the same time a major update was launched last year. Here are our thoughts on the latest update, and how it can affect your traffic and your strategies during the next few months.

At a glance

While Google has confirmed that an update has been launched, the details that they have provided are vague as to what changes have been made, and what type of websites will be affected. Due to last year’s Google Medic Update, many SEOs are now keeping track of any massive ranking fluctuations on various industry websites, as a majority of websites experienced massive traffic gains and drops during that time period.

The current algorithm update is one of Google’s routine updates that aim to bring in specific changes, which can affect the rankings and traffic of websites. Additionally, Google also stated that some of the changes aim to benefit pages that are “previously under-rewarded”, which indicates a number of websites should experience a significant boost in their rankings and traffic.

Significant effects

While this update may not be as big as the Google Medic Update, we were still able to experience significant boosts to some of the keywords that we are tracking. While the update has only been announced on March 12, we have noticed significant fluctuations during the last week of February until the first week of March, which allegedly means that the update may have already been up and running during that timeframe. Upon checking that time period, one of the most significant results was seeing a keyword go from ranking in the hundreds to reaching the second and first page of SERPs.

A good number of our keywords have received boosts in their rankings, some even reaching the first page of Google seemingly in a matter of days. These websites are from a variety of industries, which can also mean that the algorithm update does not target specific industries, instead, rewarding websites that have optimized their content to measure up to Google’s E-A-T standards.

Fixes and optimization

While the update helped numerous websites get boosts in rankings, Google stated that no fixes would be done to pages that do not perform as well as other websites. This might confuse some SEOs looking to optimize their rankings, as identifying issues would be challenging as there is no specific element that they can directly point out and immediately remedy.

Despite the fact that there is no specific fix pointed out in relation to the update, it is still a viable strategy to continue improving your content in order to drive more traffic that can boost your rankings. It is also important to monitor all of the websites you handle constantly, especially if you have websites from a variety of industries, as their ranking fluctuations would vary greatly from each other.

It is also worth looking into your websites that are not ranking well despite the presence of quality content, as they might get a much-needed ranking boost thanks to the latest update. While more details about the update might emerge in the upcoming weeks, it is best to stick with your strategy if you experienced positive changes in your rankings, while finding new ways to improve your rankings as well.

Key Takeaway

Algorithm updates bring a host of new changes, with some of these changes not specified by Google. This is why traffic and rankings during the time of these updates can greatly affect your site, or even have no effect at all. Google always finds new ways to update their algorithm, and if last year was any indicator, expect a slew of updates during the rest of the year.

If you have questions or inquiries about algorithm updates or SEO in general, leave a comment below and let’s talk.